The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-04-16

oSu~A~s 1sa~%k - ~f'@-~~- -
The Confederate General ID. III. Hill.
writes of Chickamauga in the Century.
From his account Of the battle we quote
rs follows: ..On tho 10th OF July ]
reported to General Bragg at Chatta-
nooga. had not seen him since l had
been the junior lieutenant in his battery
of artillery at Corpus Christi, Tex, In
1915. The other two licutenants were
George III. Thomas and John L. Rey-
nolds. We four had been in the same
mess there Reynolds had been killed
nj Gettysburg twelve days before my
new assignment Thomas, the strong
est aud most pronounced Southerner OF
the four, was now Rosecrans' lieuten-
ant 1t was strange casting OF lots
that three messmatcs Of Corpus Christi
should meet under such changed cir
cumstances at Chickamauga.
..My interview with General Bragg
at Chattanooga was not satisfactory.
He was silent and reserved, and seemed
gloomy and respondent He had
grown prematurely old since saw
him last, and showed much nervous
ness. His relations with his next in
command General Polk. and with
some other OF his subordinates, were
known not TO be pleasant His many
retreats, too. had alicnated the rank
and file from him. or ut least had taken
away that enthusiasm which soldiers
feel for the successful general, and
which makes them obey his orders
without question, and thus wins for
him other successes. The one thing
that soldier never fails 20 understand
is victory, and the commander who
leads him to victory will be adored by
him whether that victory has been won
by skill or by laundering, by the mas
terly handling of a few troops against
great odds, or by the awkward use OF
overwhelming numbers. Long before
Stonewall Jackson had risen 10 the
height of his great fame, he had won
the implicit confidence of his troops in
all his movements Where are You
going?' one inquired of the foot cav
airy as they We're making the usual
stealthy march on the encmy's rear
We don't know, but Jack does was
the laughing answer. This trust was
the fruit Of past victories, and il led 10
I other and greater achievements.
"Thc want of information at General
Bragg's headquarters was i'm striking
contrast with the minute knowledge
General Lee always had of every oper-
alton in his front, and was most pain
fully impressed with the feeling that il
was TO be n hap-hazard campaign on
our part. My sympathics had all been
with the commanding general. i knew
of the carping criticisms of his subord-
mates, and the cold looks of his sol
diers, and knew that these were the
natural results of reverses, whether the
blame for the reverses lay with the
commander or otherwise. | had felt.
too, that this lack of confidence, or
lack of enthusiasm, which ever it
might be, was ominous of evil for the
impending battle. But ignorance OF
the enemy's movements seemed still
worse portent Of calamity. Rosecrans
! had effected the crossing of the river
and had occupied Wits Valley, be-
! tween Sand and Lookout mountains,
without opposition, and had estab-
I lshcd his headquarters at Trenton
| Lookout Mountain now intcrposed to
screen all the enemy's movements
/ from our observation. General Bragg
had said. petulantly. few days before
the crossing into Wits Valley: 1T is
said Co be easy to defend mountain
Gus country, but mountains hide your
foe from you, while they are full of
gaps through which he can pounce
upon You NJ any time. A mountain Is
Ike the wall of house full Of rat
holes The rat lies hidden at his hole.
ready to pop out when no one is
Watching Who can tell what lies
hidden behind that wall?' said he.
pointing TO the cumberland range
across the river
l..ss.